Angels and Anaheim Firefighters Association to host the third annual "Fill the Boot" fundraiser

By / MLB.com

WHAT: The Angels are teaming up with the Anaheim Firefighters Association to host the third annual Angel Stadium “Fill the Boot” fundraiser to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) of Orange County and Riverside County.

The Angels Wives and Anaheim Firefighters Association will be asking Angel fans to "fill their boots" with cash and coin to help fund the MDA children’s clinic at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) and the ALS Center at UC Irvine. The funds will also provide wheelchair repair, lifesaving flu shots and MDA summer camp for special-needs kids. Most importantly, donations collected during this year’s "Fill-The-Boot" campaign will fund research to help find a cure for 43 neuromuscular diseases.

The fundraising effort also supports Major League Baseball’s “4ALS” initiative to raise awareness and support for the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. July 4, 2009 marked the 70th Anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s “Luckiest Man Alive Speech” – in recognition, Major League Baseball and all 30 Clubs joined together for “4ALS”. Building on MLB’s longstanding commitment to ALS awareness, all Clubs are dedicating a day in 2013 to “4ALS”.

On July 23rd, the Angels will host their “4ALS Day” at Angel Stadium as the wives and firefighters will present the funds from the “Fill the Boot” campaign to MDA during a pregame ceremony. The Angels have also donated 200 tickets to that night’s game against the Minnesota Twins to MDA for ALS patients and their families.

WHO: The third annual event is spearheaded by Angel Wife and Anaheim Firefighter, Heather Soliz. Representatives from the Muscular Dystrophy Association will join Angels Wives and firefighters at the stadium to collect contributions.

WHEN: Saturday, July 20thwhen the Angels host the Oakland Athletics. “Fill the Boot” will begin at 4 PM and run through the 2nd inning.